Government says it is unsure how long Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will be away on medical leave in the UK.

Information Minister, Mustapha Abdul Hamid, told Joy News “He will come back to work depending on the advice of Doctors.”

Remaining tight-lipped about the illness that necessitated Dr Bawumia’s sudden medical leave, he stressed, however, that the Vice President is “taking a medical rest...for as long as the Doctors advice that he takes a rest.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Health Minister, Kingsley Aboagye-Gyadu, has told Accra-based Star FM that “the length of [Dr Bawumia’s] stay is likely to be shortened because he is recovering very fast…far faster than we all expected”.

Dr Bawumia was flown to the UK on Friday, January 19 for advanced medical attention after reporting of ill health.

A statement signed by the Chief Of Staff, Frema Opare, on Saturday said accompanied by his wife, Samira Bawumia,  the Vice President was flown to the UK on the advice of his Doctors.

Listen to the Information Minister in the audio file below.

Full disclosure

Some Minority legislators have been demanding a full disclosure on Dr Bawumia’s health status.

Builsa South MP, Clement Apaak, the government owes the public such a full disclosure on the medical condition of the Vice President.

“I think Ghanaians have every right to demand the details because he is the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana. His health has implications for this nation and its governance. His health also has implications for our public expenditure, so we have every right,” he said.

Criticism

The wording in the press statement announcing the Vice President's unnamed illness has received a mixed reaction from a section of the public.

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, is among the critics who believe the use of the "medical leave" was inappropriate.

"Words matter", he said, adding that "they [governemnt communicators] should communicate well," he said on the floor of Parliament.

Why was Bawumia flown to the UK?

Mustapha Abdul Hamid said the Vice President stands a better chance to have the peace and tranquillity to recover faster in the UK than if he had been admitted to a medical facility in Ghana.

Read: Bawumia UK trip to prevent disturbance from relatives, friends – Hamid

He explains that Dr Bawumia's reported illness could see relatives and friends visiting him at his Accra residence to offer support and sympathies.

“When he is in Ghana people will come from his village, from Walewale [and] wherever he is [and] the people will besiege [his residence],” he said.